Choosing You: The Sequel
by marysunshine81
Summary: 10 years later Diane and Will are still married with two 'kids'. Sequel to my multi-chapter fanfic 'Choosing You' AU
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I hope some of you still remember my multi-chapter fic 'Choosing You', where I had Diane and Will married with two kids. Back then when I finished posting it, I mentioned a possible sequel and finally here it comes. **_

_**I don't think I ever had so many ongoing projects at a time, I can only hope I'll be able to deal with them all and won't have to keep you waiting for updates for too long.**_

_**For those who haven't read CY or just want to refresh your memory, here's a short summary:**_

_Diane and Will were working for the law firm Stern&Holt while raising their two kids Emma (6-7) and Nathan (4-5). But it had always been their dream to start their own firm. Timing wasn't on their side, because when Diane showed Will the office space she thought they could rent, Will was offered managing partnership at their firm. Will decided to accept the offer for the family's sake, he thought it was the best way to support them, while Diane started to work on their dream. She hired her former lover, Christopher Wilson, which caused some tension in the marriage, and she and Will also ended up on the opposite sides of a case. The story included Sarah, Will sister, who got pregnant with her first child, Aunt Diane, Diane's aunt, who has been my OC in a few stories and Elsbeth Tascioni who Diane hired and they became friends. In the end Chris betrayed Diane's trust and left the firm and Will quit S&H and joined Diane, so Lockhart/Gardner was born._

_**The sequel picks up 10 years later.**_

_**I don't own TGW, or Diane and Will might have ended up together at some point. The original characters are mine.**_

_**I'd like to remind everyone that this is an AU, Diane is only about 5-7 years older than Will and in CY she was around 43-45 years old. **_

_**As always, I love getting feedback, so please let me know what you think. Your reviews are the best motivation to continue. :)**_

_**Special thanks to Sab and Ally for all the help and patience! 333**_

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**Chapter One**

"Mom, I'm leaving. Eric is here."

Diane saw her daughter rushing down the stairs and she reached out her arm with her palm facing Emma to make her stop when she arrived next to her.

"I don't think he wants to be a part of this, Eli, he has his hands full with our firm as it is," she told her campaign manager, who'd just informed her that the press wanted an interview with her husband as well.

"It's just one interview, it won't take more than a half an hour, I'm sure he can find the time," Eli insisted, his voice giving away his frustration.

"You know I don't want my family involved, Eli, not even Will. Who is the reporter?"

"Mandy Post."

The mention of the name almost made Diane's stomach turn. Mandy was usually out to get gossip and even though they had nothing to hide, having her sit down with Will could have gone wrong in a million ways.

"Do you really think it's a good idea?" She inquired, trying to trust Eli's judgment, even when she disagreed with him sometimes.

"I know you don't like it, but whether you want it or not, your family is involved in this. We may be able to shield your kids from the press, but I don't think your husband needs any protection. He could help you win this, you are the perfect couple, a happy family, voters love candidates like you."

While listening to Eli's pep talk, Diane glanced at Emma who was now typing on her phone, probably telling her boyfriend she's held up. She'd grown up so fast and she certainly wasn't a kid anymore, still she wanted to protect her as long as she could. But she had to realize that Eli was right and Will probably wouldn't mind doing this favor for the campaign.

"Can I at least be there with him for the interview?" She thought it was a reasonable compromise.

"I'll talk to Mandy," Eli promised in a soft voice.

"Thank you, I'm sorry, but I need to go now. I'll talk to you on Monday," she added hopeful that she might be able to have a peaceful weekend, before they enter the last phase of the race heading up to the primary elections.

"Monday," Eli promised silently, probably hoping just as much as Diane that he'd be able to keep it.

"'bout time," the teenager rolled her eyes as soon as she hung up, in a way that she could only have learnt from her mother and it always amused Diane.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" she turned her full attention to her daughter, not liking her antsy tone, "Can't your date wait a few minutes?"

"The movie starts in half an hour," Emma said rather impatiently.

"You'll still be there in time. But I hope you haven't forgotten that you have to stay home tomorrow. No party." Diane used her mothering voice, hoping Emma knew better than to argue with it.

"I'm sure Aunt Sarah wouldn't mind me missing dinner," the girl groaned, proving Diane wrong, but the attempt had no effect on her.

They didn't keep her locked up, even Will had gotten used to the idea of his daughter going out, no matter how much he had protested at first. She was allowed to go to parties to her friends' houses, but she had to accept that family came first. She could go to parties any other weekend, surely missing one wasn't as big of a deal as she'd made her believe with all the begging and bargaining, but it had been pointless.

"But I would," she reminded her that she still had the last word, "Eric will be there next week too, but your aunt is only staying for the weekend."

"I know," Emma sighed, realizing she had no chance but to accept her mother's terms, "But I hope our deal is still on, that you or dad will look after Mimi in the evenings next week while she is staying here."

Will's sister, Sarah would leave her nine-year-old daughter Naomi there for a week and Emma had promised to look after her, like she had the last two summers. But this year Eric came into the picture, and suddenly spending time with her cousin, Mimi, wasn't her top priority anymore.

"It is, but I don't suppose you want to go out each night?" Diane inquired with a half-smile.

Emma and Eric had been in the same class for the last three years, but they had only started dating a few weeks ago. Before they had let him take her out for the first time, Diane and Will had had a talk with the boy to make him aware of the rules, and since they had known his parents as well, they hoped their daughter had chosen her first real boyfriend right.

"I don't know, maybe," Emma shrugged.

It was summer holiday, so there was no reason why she couldn't have gone out each night if she wanted to and Diane didn't really feel the need to hold her back.

"We'll talk about it, now go, I don't want you to miss the movie," she smiled at her, "Do you have enough cash?"

"Yes, dad gave me some. Bye. Love you," she kissed her mother's cheek, "Bye dad," she yelled in the direction of the study.

"Have fun," Will replied.

"You will be home by ten, right?" Diane raised her voice as Emma was already opening the front door.

"I will," she looked back and nodded, then rushed out.

Diane went after her and observed as she got into the car. The cinema was only a ten minutes' drive away, so she tried not to worry about them getting there in one piece. She had to accept the fact that her seventeen-years-old daughter was old enough to take care of herself.

"I'm back, sorry, no more phone calls for tonight, I hope," she entered Will's study, where they had been dealing with some work stuff they hadn't had time to discuss at the firm during the week, due to her regular absence. And it would become permanent from next week, because she wanted to focus all her energy on the campaign from then on.

"We will see about that," he smiled and she knew she'd been playing with his patience too often lately, but he still tried to be supportive of his wife and she loved him for giving her this chance.

"So where were we?"

Since he didn't inquire what the phone call was about, she decided not to mention the interview yet. The campaign had interfered with their week more than enough, they deserved a break at least for the next two days.

"The new associate."

"Right. So who is this Gillian Howard?" Diane took the folder in her hand to have another look at the photo of the blonde woman.

"An old friend, we went to Georgetown together," he explained, while she skimmed through the bio once more, "She is an experienced trial lawyer, I could assign some of your cases to her right away."

"Well, we need someone like yesterday, so if you and Elsbeth think she is the right choice, I won't object."

Elsbeth Tascioni had been with them the longest and she had been the first associate to become partner at Lockhart/Gardner. She had been filling in a lot for Diane lately, even in managerial decisions when necessary, and Diane trusted her judgment just as much as Will's.

"Don't you want to talk to her first?" he seemed surprised at her reaction, which made her reconsider the previous statement.

"Of course. First thing on Monday," she promised. He was right, just because her mind was elsewhere, it still mattered to her who they hired at their firm, so she needed to take part in the decision making process.

"I'll call her."

"Thank you. I know you've been covering a lot for me lately, we should have hired someone new much sooner."

She had known she wouldn't be able to juggle the campaign and her job together on the long run, but she had kept putting off the decision to leave the firm, until the last minute. Maybe it was her subconscious telling her she shouldn't have been leaving and after ten years it was hard to imagine not going with Will to their firm every morning.

But she had been meaning to try this for some time, to challenge herself with something new. She was proud of the firm they had built from nothing together and now Lockhart/Gardner was one of Chicago's top firms. One day she hoped their daughter, who was planning to go to law school after college, would take over the business.

But working together side by side had an effect on their marriage neither of them could deny. They had often brought their work-disagreements home and even though they had always put the children first, the firm had been second, like a third child and the marriage could only come third.

"At least you were still around, even if just part time," he said, with some melancholy in his voice.

She knew it was hard for him to accept her leaving, he obviously needed her at the firm and she often felt guilty, selfish even, because she wanted more for herself, while she knew he was content where he was and didn't have further ambitions.

"I'll try to make time for the firm in the next weeks too, I promise."

She couldn't deny it was just as hard for her, but she was also excited about this new challenge and what the future had in store. She didn't want to abandon him completely though. She would still be there for their firm, if he needed her help. And there was no guarantee she'd even win the primary, her two Democratic opponents were just as capable to become Illinois's next Attorney General, not to mention the Republican candidates. But at least until the campaign lasted she felt she was doing something for herself, following the political ambitions she had pushed aside for all these years.

"It's okay, your campaign needs you. We will be fine," he reassured her and she smiled at him in return.

She wanted to believe he was capable of doing it on his own, even though they both agreed that in case of her winning the election, he'd have to find someone to replace her permanently. That would be the hardest part and they didn't like talking about at all until it was absolutely necessary.

"I am tired," she declared, closing the folder in her lap. It was time to forget about the firm, the campaign and just be a mother and a wife for the rest of the weekend.

"I know," he stood behind her and put his hands on her neck, to massage it softy.

"Can we order lunch tomorrow, so we can sleep in, instead of cooking? Would your sister mind?" she looked up at him.

"Of course not, I like the idea."

"Me too, I need lots of sleep," she closed her eyes and with the thought of a long and peaceful night ahead she tried to ban everything else from her mind. "Mmm," she hummed, enjoying the pleasant sensation of his hands on her skin.

"I'll stay up and wait for Em, you should take a shower and start catching up with that sleep," he suggested, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"You know Nat is in his room with the music so loud he doesn't hear anything."

"I know."

"So I was thinking that … maybe we want to … take that shower together," she turned towards him with a devilish grin on her face and it was easy to tell that he fully supported the idea.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: I'd like to thank the reviewers for letting me know you are still interested in this story, it's always a pleasure to hear from you. Here's the second chapter, hope there's enough fluff to make everyone happy.  
**_

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**Chapter Two**

Instead of preparing lunch Diane spent the time until the arrival of her niece and sister-in-law going through some documents, while Nat and Will were playing basketball on the yard. The popping of the ball reminded her of the times when Emma had still enjoyed playing with the boys, sometimes even Diane had joined the trio and teamed up with her son, but they'd rarely got to defeat the father-daughter duo.

Emma had been quite good at basketball, but as she'd grown older, she'd preferred spending her time alone in her room or hanging out with her friends, until boys came into the picture. Diane didn't want to force her to do things she didn't feel like doing, unless it was about studying. But as long as her grades were good, she was free to spend the rest of her free time however she pleased, with the condition that her parents always knew where she was and with whom. They wanted to trust her and it had seemed to work so far and both sides were satisfied with this arrangement.

As the clock struck eleven Diane decided to put away the work for today and walked to the window to check on the boys. Will had been teaching Nat to basketball since pre-school and due to the high school training and that he'd become much taller in the last year he was now able to beat his father more often. Even if they usually said they were just playing for fun, they always kept scores and it was amusing to hear them tease each other with the result.

After observing their game unnoticed for a while, Diane left the window and went upstairs to see what Emma was up to. She knocked on her door, knowing better than to enter without. She was aware that her daughter was very protective of her privacy.

"Have they arrived?" Emma looked up.

She was lying on the bed with her laptop in front of her.

"Not yet. Can I come in?" Diane asked from the doorway.

"Sure." The girl closed the laptop and sit up, making space for Diane to sit on the bed.

"I'm leaving the firm next week, to focus on the campaign," she explained, deciding that her daughter deserved to know about this change in their life.

"I know, I heard you and dad talking about it," Emma nodded and her calm voice suggested that she appreciated Diane telling her nevertheless.

"The last month before the primary elections is going to be harder, but we'll make sure that you and Nat doesn't get involved in it," she made a promise, knowing Will and Eli would help her protect the kids from the campaign as best as they could.

"Don't worry about me," Em said with a soft smile, acting like the grown-up Diane sometimes felt she was, even though to her she'd forever remain her child.

"I will always worry about you. Right now I'm worried the press will try to approach or contact you somehow. If anything like that happens and you notice, you call me or dad right away," she warned her, knowing the press was everywhere and with the internet it was much easier to get to her kids.

"I will, I promise," Emma took her seriously and Diane appreciated it.

"You remember Eli, my campaign manager?" she asked and Emma nodded. "He and I will sit down with you and Nat and he will explain some things about how to use the social networking sites, to keep you safer."

"Okay," Emma responded understandingly.

"I don't want your life to change just because I'm running for office. I will always be your mother first and it's my job to protect you from everything until you're able to protect yourself."

Diane realized that she was getting emotional, but she couldn't help it. Her children were and would always remain her weak spot.

"I'll be fine, mom," came the grown-up answer and it made Diane smile.

In a year her daughter would be off to college and go her own way. Sometimes Diane wished she could turn back time, because she didn't feel ready to let her go or think she'd ever be.

The doorbell interrupted their mother-daughter time, announcing the arrival of their guests.

"They are here," Diane stated the obvious.

"Let's go."

Emma got out of the bed and Diane stood up too.

For a moment she was tempted to hug her daughter, to show how proud she was of her and grateful that she handled the situation so well. But Emma didn't take hugs as well as she had when she had been younger, so she decided against it, and they both went to the front door to let the visitors in instead.

"Hey," Diane greeted them with a wide grin and didn't hesitate to hug her niece, which almost made up for the one she hadn't given to her daughter before.

She missed the times when Emma was Mimi's age or even younger, her niece's presence always brought back so many memories from her children's childhood.

"Where's my brother?" Sarah looked around as they entered the living room. She had insisted on taking a cab from the airport, not to interfere with their weekend routine too much, she was grateful enough they were willing to take Mimi for a week.

"They are playing basketball outside," Diane turned to the direction of the backyard.

"Let's surprise them," Sarah suggested and they all walked to the back door and stepped out.

"I challenge the winner for a game in the afternoon," Sarah announced her presence and distracted Will enough that Nat managed to get hold of the ball and scored a basket.

"That would be me, thank you Aunt Sarah," the boy grinned, while his father seemed cheated. Even against his son, he was a sore loser.

"Hey kiddo, hey sis," Will waved to Mimi and walked towards Sarah, who stepped back as he was about to reach her.

"If you want me to hug you, you need to take a shower first," she protested, so Will just passed her by, giving a kiss on her cheek on his way inside. "I can't believe Nat has grown so much since I last saw him." Sarah observed her nephew, who was celebrating his victory trying to score some more baskets.

"I wouldn't mind, but he hates shopping for clothes," Diane smiled, eyeing her son.

"Sometimes I wish Mimi hated it too," Sarah chuckled. "She usually makes me buy a bunch of stuff she never wears longer than a week."

"That sounds familiar," Diane glanced at her daughter, who had always been very picky about her outfits as well, "Em has collected a few items from her closet for Mimi again, might spare you a round of shopping."

"Thank you," Sarah replied with a smile.

"Can't wait to see them," Mimi seemingly got excited at the mention of clothes.

"I'll show them after lunch," Emma promised.

"I'm sure you are hungry," Diane remembered that they still needed to sort out the lunch-issue and turned to her sister-in-law. "Will and I thought you wouldn't mind if we ordered in today."

"Of course not, thank you for having us," Sarah replied. "Maybe tomorrow I can cook something for all of you before I leave? It's the least I can do."

"I'll help out," Emma offered, making Diane proud. Emma loved cooking and baking, but it wasn't always easy to get her down to the kitchen when she needed her. It was nice to see that she volunteered, even if it was just to impress her aunt.

"I want to help too," Mimi volunteered as well, she probably didn't want to be left out.

"Looks like we have a whole kitchen crew for tomorrow," Diane laughed, not minding that she's excused from her duties for another day. "Nat, maybe you should take a shower too before lunch," she raised her voice to address her son.

"Just a minute," he yelled and they saw how he scored another basket, and looked very satisfied with himself.

"I'll give you the menu to choose from and while the lunch arrives you can settle in your rooms," Diane suggested as they all walked inside.

"Can I sleep in your room?" Mimi asked Emma, even though she hadn't shared her room with her cousin the last two summers. She considered herself too grown-up for spending the night with a kid.

"I'm sorry, honey, but Em likes having her room to herself as I'm sure you do too," Diane replied on Em's behalf, trying to reason with her niece.

"I do," the girl admitted and Emma seemed grateful for the interference.

"But I'm going to help you unpack and we'll play something together after lunch, all right?" Emma took over the conversation, making Diane smile.

"Can we play cards?" Mimi's face lit up.

"Whatever you want," Emma promised and the two of them walked up the stairs, while Diane stayed downstairs with Sarah.

"How is Roger?" she asked about her brother-in-law.

"He is working too hard, as usual," Sarah sighed.

Diane knew it was a constant problem in their marriage that Roger worked much more than Sarah did, while she and Will worked almost the same amount or at least they took turns, so it didn't cause that much tension between them. It changed a little with the campaign, but they still managed to keep the balance so far.

"Is everything is all right between you two?" Diane inquired cautiously, not wanting to step on any toes.

"There's no reason to worry," Sarah said with a half-smile and Diane wanted to believe her, knowing she'd tell her if it had been otherwise.

"Let me help you with those," she offered when she saw Sarah reach for one of the suitcases and while they carried them to the stairs Nat appeared in the room.

"Do you need help?" he looked at them with the heavy luggage in hand.

"That would be nice, thank you," Sarah placed hers down first and Diane followed, proud of her boy, who rushed up the stairs with the two bags.

"Here's the menu," Diane handed Sarah a piece of paper. "I'll be in my room, let me know when you've decided."

"I will," Sarah walked upstairs and Diane followed her a few steps behind.

By the time she entered the bedroom Will was already out of the shower, he was standing in front of the wardrobe, with wet hair and a towel around his waist.

"You were fast," Diane smiled, not hiding the fact that she still found her husband very attractive, especially when he was wearing next to nothing, which vividly reminded her of their previous night

"How is Sarah?" Will turned to her, letting his whole chest visible and Diane had to bite her bottom lip at the sight.

"Happy to dump her daughter on us for a week," she joked, while she was looking Will up and down unconsciously. "You should get dressed," she added, forcing herself to look aside.

"Admit it, you'd rather have _me_ than your lunch," he approached her, with a teasing tone in his voice.

Diane took a step back, trying to resist him when they heard a knock on the door.

"We have company," she reminded him with a regretful grin, even though he was completely right.

And somehow she started envying her sister- and brother-in-law for having a whole week to themselves.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Our breakfast," Will placed the tray with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and two mugs filled with coffee next to Diane on the bed.

"What a treat," she reached for her mug and tasted its content with a wide grin.

"You must know that even though it was Sarah who made the breakfast, _this_ was my idea," he grabbed his mug with a wink and sat on the bed next to her.

Diane had to suppress a chuckle hearing his statement, she didn't want him to think she didn't appreciate the gesture. In fact she couldn't remember when had been the last time they had shared a breakfast in bed, so she was more than happy about this opportunity.

"And why is there only one plate?" she inquired glancing from the tray to him.

"That is because I didn't only bring you breakfast, I'm going to feed you too," he declared and without waiting for her reply he reached for the fork and dag into the scrambled eggs.

"What?"

Diane tried to withhold her laughter, but it burst out nevertheless. But soon she had to realize he meant it seriously, because he was waiting patiently for her to stop, which she did eventually.

"Are you ready?" he asked with a smile and she had to lean in to kiss him shortly before she replied.

"I'm ready," she nodded and he approached her mouth with the fork to give her the first bite.

The eggs with the bacon tasted much better than usual, since someone else had made them and he was feeding her with so much care. She took a slice of toast and chipped off a piece for herself, then another for Will and placed it in his mouth. There was something sensual about feeding each other this way, but she didn't let her mind get further than the thought just yet.

"Are you sure I deserve all this pampering?" she questioned him when they'd almost finished the plate together.

"Of course I'm sure," he placed a quick kiss on her lips, making her smile.

But the smile faded away when her thoughts wandered from the present to the future all of a sudden. She knew why he was doing all this. They hadn't had such a big change in their life for the last ten years and both of them needed to adjust. But especially him, because she was the one leaving him and no matter what he said, it was hard for him and he still wanted to show his support. It should have been her bringing breakfast to him, feeding him, to reassure him that one thing would never change: he would always be his wife and the mother of his children.

"You know that just because I won't be spending much time in the office from now on, nothing else will change." The seriousness in her tone sounded odd after all the lightness, but she couldn't help it, she had to say it out loud.

"I know." He placed the fork back on the plate, turning his full attention to her. "But I will miss you," he confessed, his eyes not leaving hers.

"I will miss you more," she whispered and pressed her lips to his. "Does dessert go with our breakfast?" she inquired with a playful grin.

"It depends on what kind of dessert you have in mind," he replied and it was hard to miss the desire in his eyes.

She reached for the tray to put it aside on the nightstand, to make it clear she wasn't thinking of food and the second she turned back his lips were already on hers again.

o-o-o

"Will speaks highly of you," Diane smiled at Gillian after Will had left them alone. It hadn't been hard to notice that she and Will were getting along well, which was to her advantage. They needed someone Will could work well with after all. And Diane's own first general impression was also good, but she was looking forward to talking to the applicant alone. "He obviously wants you to join us and we need someone fast," she explained eyeing the blonde lawyer who was sitting across from her in the visitor's chair.

"I can start anytime, today even." She was obviously capable and willing, which was the best combination, but Diane was interested in the motivation behind it and other things her CV didn't reveal.

"May I ask why you left Hunton & Williams?" Diane looked straight into her eyes, showing that a lot depended on the answer to this question.

"For personal reasons …" Gillian sounded hesitant and Diane sent her a sympathetic, but persistent look, which made clear that she wanted to hear the answer nevertheless. "My husband is a partner there too, but we filed for divorce and I didn't feel like working with him anymore." She kept shifting her gaze to the desk, communicating that she wasn't comfortable talking about it, but she must have expected the topic to come up.

"I understand. And I appreciate you telling me," Diane nodded and for a short moment she considered what she'd do in a similar situation, but fortunately Gillian interrupted her chain of thoughts.

"But I think my success rate speaks for itself. It's their loss and your win if you give me a chance," she said confidently and Diane didn't need any more convincing.

"You can start tomorrow. Will will help you with anything you need." She closed the woman's folder on her desk and stood up, indicating that their meeting was over.

"Thank you," Gillian rose from her seat with a wide smile on her face and they shook hands to seal the agreement.

Once left alone Diane knew that was it. She had taken care of everything, it was time to say goodbye to the corner office which had been her second home for the last ten years. She knew that she was ready, still she had a slight fear of closing that glass door and opening a completely different one.

"Elsbeth," she noticed her friend's presence just as she was about to knock.

"I'm glad I could still catch you," she smiled upon entering the room.

"I would have stopped by your office," Diane reassured her. "I need to ask a favor."

"You want me to keep an eye on things while you're away, don't you? Especially on Will," the redhead chuckled.

"You read my mind," Diane replied with a grin, knowing Elsbeth was the best ally she could wish for.

She had proved to be reliable throughout the years they had been working together. Not to mention she had an eye for noticing the details others might have overlooked and Diane needed someone just like that while she was away.

"You can count on me," she promised.

"I just told Gillian Howard that she is hired, please make sure she feels welcome and bring her up to speed on my ongoing cases," Diane requested, as her last order of business and handed her Gillian's folder.

"Of course," Elsbeth nodded, taking the file from her.

"Thank you."

Diane's smile was full of melancholy. Leaving her office, giving away her cases, it was all so final. And her gaze wandered to the other end of the corridor, to the corner office, with her husband at his desk.

"We will miss you around here," Elsbeth smiled, contradicting the sadness in her eyes.

"I'll be just a phone call away," Diane pointed out, hoping those phone calls would actually come.

Next thing she knew Elsbeth's arms were around her, hugging her tightly and Diane appreciated this gesture, which also made her feel slightly better.

"Good luck with the campaign," Elsbeth said after she stepped back.

"Thank you, I'm going to need it," Diane sighed and watched Elsbeth leave before her eyes found back to Will again.

It was time.

She collected her purse and looked around once more before she walked out and over to Will's office.

"Gillian is starting tomorrow," she closed the door behind her and took a few steps.

"She told me before she left. Thank you. She really needs this job," Will stood up and approached her.

"And we really need her," she reminded him and as their eyes locked a few seconds of silence followed. "I …. better get going, Eli is waiting for me," she said without moving an inch.

"I know," Will nodded, but put his arms around her waist, contradicting his words.

"You can show that you can do this without me, this is your chance," she remarked slightly playfully, while her fingers were fidgeting with his tie.

"And you can show what you're made of. And don't forget that I'm very proud of you," he smiled at her and pulled her close for a kiss she gladly returned.

"See you at dinner," she whispered as their lips parted and walked out the door with a smile on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Diane noticed her iPhone was vibrating on the table in front of her, but it was the third call since they'd started the meeting, so she understood the annoyed expression on her campaign manager's face.

"It's my daughter," she explained, trying to apologize with a look as she reached for the device, determined to answer it. The last two calls had been from the firm, one from her assistant and one from Elsbeth. She had taken them, because she wanted to be available and provide any help they needed. She didn't want to sever ties with the firm just yet, she was still a name partner after all.

"Go ahead," Eli Gold murmured in an impatient voice as he leaned back in his chair.

Diane stood up and walked a few steps away before she answered, "Hey."

"Hi mom," Emma sounded calm, so Diane knew right away that she had no reason to worry about her call.

"Is everything all right at home?" she asked nevertheless.

"Yes, everything's fine. But dad called and said he's coming home later today, so I wanted to ask when you will be home." Emma said the sentence with the speed of light.

"You want to go out again?" Diane concluded with a half-smile. According to their agreement Emma had spent the weekend at home, but Diane knew she had been in touch with her boyfriend all the time nevertheless.

"Yes, please?" Emma pleaded and Diane saw her daughter's face in front of her with her mind's eyes.

"I'll try to be home before six," she promised. It was the least she could do to make her daughter happy and she owed it to her too. "But I need to get back to my meeting now, all right?"

"Sure. Thank you, mom. Bye."

"Bye," Diane hung up and wiped her smile away before she turned back and saw Eli typing on his blackberry.

"Are you done?" he inquired in a calm voice without looking up, making Diane roll her eyes. The man's manners weren't the finest, but he had a really good reputation on his field and they seemed to work well together.

"Yes," she sat back and muted her phone, not to poke the bear anymore. Sometimes she wasn't sure who was working for whom, because Eli enjoyed being the boss. But as long as he showed her respect, she accepted that he was the one giving orders.

"Have you talked to Will about the interview?" Eli asked as he placed his phone on the table.

"Yes, he will do it," Diane nodded confidently, even though she hadn't talked to Will yet. She had been meaning to, but the timing just hadn't been right all weekend, but she had no doubt about his reply. "When does Mandy want him to do it?"

"I think she can work around his schedule," he replied.

"All right, I'll ask him and let you know tomorrow," she made a mental note, because she didn't dare to touch her phone to take an actual one.

"And I need to talk to your kids," Eli reminded her.

"Yes. I was thinking we could do it at home, sometime this week?" She much rather had Eli come over than bring the kids here. She didn't want them to become the center of attention.

"Sure. So about the speech," Eli reached for his iPad, but seconds later they heard a phone vibrating on the table. Diane glanced at hers, forgetting she'd muted it, so this time it wasn't hers, but his.

Eli grabbed his phone with an eye roll and Diane had to bend her head to hide her smile, hoping this would give her a free pass for a phone call next time.

o-o-o

Diane couldn't remember when had been the last time she had seen an animated movie, but she actually enjoyed this opportunity to turn back the time a little. She and Mimi were on the couch with a huge bowl of popcorn between them, occasionally laughing and having a fun time together. Will wasn't at home yet, Emma was out with her boyfriend and Nat was in his room, probably playing some video game.

But the movie suddenly paused and Diane turned to her niece who was in charge of the remote and saw the confused expression on her face.

"Is there something wrong?" Diane asked worriedly waiting for Mimi to say something.

"If I tell you a secret will you promise not to tell mom?" The girl's dark eyes were wide open, begging for trust.

"It depends on if it's good or bad," Diane replied diplomatically. She didn't mind being her niece's confidante, but she also had to think as a mother.

"It's complicated," Mimi said, sounding more grown-up than she actually was.

"Tell me," Diane smiled at the girl, to show she could trust her.

"There's a boy in my class who I really like," Mimi confessed and Diane's smile widened. She knew her niece must have waited for a long time to tell this to someone and Diane was glad she chose her. She knew these things meant a lot to a girl her age, she always made sure Emma knew she could trust her when it came to talking about boys as well.

"Really? What's his name?" she inquired.

"Matt. He is really smart, but I don't think he likes me." Mimi's face changed from hopeful to sad in a matter of seconds. "What should I do?" she asked desperately.

Diane didn't have to think long what advice to give. She knew from experience that smart boys don't usually like smart girls, but she didn't want to discourage her niece.

"Make sure he knows you like him, without actually telling him," she responded in a comforting tone. "A smile, a small gesture like bringing him lunch, sharing your candy with him can do magic. And let him be smarter sometimes, they always appreciate that," she added, thinking of how often she used that trick on Will and it worked each and every time.

"Thank you," Mimi replied smiling, clearly appreciating the suggestion. She was about to reach for the remote, when they heard the front door open and steps nearing them.

"Hey," Diane turned to greet her husband with a smile.

"Hey," Will approached them and kissed Diane first on the lips, then his niece on her cheek, then grabbed for a fistful of popcorn from the bowl.

"There's dinner for you," Diane reminded him playfully.

"It's okay," he walked to the other side of the couch and sat down next to Diane. "What are you watching?" he inquired.

"Ice Age 4," Mimi replied and started playing the movie again.

"I'm going to heat up your dinner," Diane offered and emerged from her seat when she felt him gently grab her arm.

"You don't have to do that," he said softly, pulling her back slightly.

"But I want to," she insisted, because she knew he must have been tired and hungry. And it's not like she had to cook their dinner, because Sarah had made enough food to last for a few days. The least she could do was bring it for him.

She took a step forward, but he was still holding her arm and as she wanted to pull it from his grasp she soon felt a kiss on her palm which brought a wide grin on her face. When Will let go of her hand she stroked his face gently before moving away.

As she entered the kitchen she heard Will's voice.

"So fill me in, what has happened so far?"

Diane looked back on the uncle and his niece and observed them silently for a while, until she heard steps coming down the stairs.

"Hi dad," Nat greeted his father before he walked to the kitchen.

"Let me guess, you came down because you are hungry?" Diane smiled at him.

"Yes," he admitted. They'd only finished dinner about two hours ago, but she knew her son well enough.

"I was just about to heat up the chicken for dad, you are just in time," Diane entered the kitchen. "Did it go well with the girls today?" she inquired, happy about the opportunity to talk to him alone.

"Yeah, it was fine. You don't mind if Brad comes over sometime this week?" Nat asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Of course not, just let us know in advance," she told him, putting the box in the microwave. Brad was one of Nat's closest friends, he's been a frequent visitor in their house.

"Thanks mom."

"My campaign manager will visit us this week," she said, taking a seat next to him, "to talk to you and Emma."

"Okay," he nodded.

"I don't want the campaign to affect your life too much, he will explain a few things you should know," she told him what she'd already told his sister.

"I've read articles online, they say you have a shot at winning the primary." His competent reply made Diane smile.

"It can still go either way," she reminded him, but she wasn't surprised he did research. For some reason Nat was more interested in politics, than his sister, even though he was two years younger than her.

"I believe in you," he reassured her.

"Thank you," she smiled, and couldn't be more grateful to have her family's full support in this matter.

Their little moment was interrupted by the beeping of the microwave and she stood up to take the dinner out.

"You want to eat it in your room?" She looked back at him from the kitchen island.

"I don't mind eating here," Nat responded, making Diane even happier with such a small gesture.

She was satisfied with how her first day away from the firm turned out. It might be a little challenging at times, but she was hopeful that she would be able to make it work in the end.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: I know I haven't updated this story in forever, but 5x15 happened and I'm sure you understand that I haven't really been in the mood to write much ever since. This chapter had been written before the episode and all I can promise is that I will try to continue this fic at some point. Hope you'll be patient and stick around. (:**_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

When Diane noticed her husband approaching from the entrance she flashed him a smile.

"Your dad has just arrived," she told her daughter who was on the other end of the line.

"Tell him I said hi. Enjoy your lunch," Emma replied.

"Thank you. Bye," Diane hung up as Will stepped next to her and kissed her on the lips before taking the seat opposite from her.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he apologized for what had only been a few minutes, so she'd barely noticed. She had called Emma to check up on the kids at home while waiting.

"I haven't been here for long," she reassured him. "Emma says hi. Everything is okay at home," she added.

"Good. The week is almost over," he sighed and she noticed not for the first time during the week how tired he looked.

He had come home late the last few nights and left early in the mornings. That's why she'd suggested this lunch date, so they could spend some quality time together. It was needed even more because of the interview he was supposed to give the next day.

"Yes, almost," she smiled at him. "Is everything all right at the firm?" she asked concerned. She hadn't gotten any calls since the day before yesterday and she'd found herself missing them.

"It is. Elsbeth is handling the Grey depos and Gillian is my second chair at the Reed trial. Both are going well so far," he said confidently, reaching for the menu on the table.

"How is Gillian doing?" she inquired.

"She got up to speed quickly, so I might promote her to first chair," he answered flipping through the pages of the menu.

"Looks like you got everything under control," she smiled to herself and reached for her menu, even though she already knew what she was going to order.

"I do, so all you have to do is focus on the campaign," he looked up and their eyes met for a brief second, so he was able to see her smile as well.

"I will," she replied, feeling a little left out, but she knew it shouldn't have bothered her.

She had given him this chance to do things on his own and wanted to trust him fully.

"Lunch was a nice idea, reminds me of our date nights. We should make it a regular thing," he suggested, turning the focus of the conversation to them, which Diane didn't mind.

"Yeah, we really should," she returned the smile holding his gaze.

They hadn't had a date night in years, but they had spent most of their time together at work and at home anyway. It would have felt good to get away sometimes, just the two of them, but it rarely happened unless it was a work related trip or their anniversary that they still celebrated each year.

"What do we know about this interview?" Will brought up the subject after the waiter had taken their orders.

Diane had mentioned the interview to him Monday evening and as expected he'd said yes. He hadn't even seemed hesitant and Diane was glad he'd proven her right. But he obviously needed to know more details.

"She will surely ask how you feel about my decision, if you are supportive, if you are okay with my ambitions, how it all affects our marriage. She might want to talk about you running our firm alone, that sort of things. She is known for digging deeper, but I don't see how she could find anything she could corner us with," she finished and Will seemingly agreed with everything she said.

"I think we'll be fine," he reached out over the table to take her hand and squeezed it gently. "So tell me how the campaign's going." he pulled back his hand, but his eyes stayed on her.

"It's going very well actually," she replied confidently. "According to the polling's my family profile appeals to the voters, we're doing well with endorsements. Eli is satisfied."

"I like the sound of that," he said with a supportive smile on his face. "And how are you and Eli getting along?"

"With a few bumps, but we haven't had any major disagreement, yet," she pointed out with a grin, thinking of the day she'd introduced Eli to Will. The two men had only talked for a few minutes but she could still clearly recall Will's words, who wasn't exactly fond of her choice, but agreed that Diane needed Eli to win.

"I hope it stays that way," he responded playfully.

"He is coming over tonight, to talk to the kids," she reminded him in case he forgot.

"I'll try to be home earlier," he promised.

"Speak of the devil," Diane joked, realizing her phone was buzzing on the table with Eli's name flashing on the screen. "I'm afraid I need to get that," she reached for the device.

"I thought you are entitled to a lunch hour," Will said in a teasing tone.

"I'll remind him right now," she smiled, lifting the phone to her ear. "Hallo."

"We have a problem," Eli's agitated voice sounded intense even through the line, so Diane decided it would be best to swallow her playful complaint about his call.

"What problem?" she inquired and saw the concern on Will's face right away.

"Victoria Adler has just announced her candidacy."

"What? Vicky?" Diane was quite stunned to hear the news.

"Vicky?" Eli asked suspiciously. "I sense there's a backstory to this," he guessed and Diane couldn't deny it.

"We used to be friends," she replied, knowing she'd have to share the details with him anyway.

"We need to talk as soon as possible." Diane didn't like Eli's commanding tone, but she considered it justified. This piece of news definitely affected their campaign a great deal.

"I'll be back in thirty minutes," she promised, figuring that would give her enough time to eat her lunch that had arrived while she'd been on the phone.

"You have to leave?" Will seemed slightly disappointed. He hadn't touched his plate yet, he'd been waiting for Diane to finish the call.

"Right after lunch. I'm sorry," she added, grabbing her knife and fork to start her lunch quickly.

"What happened?" he inquired in a worried voice, following her lead.

"Looks like I'm not the only female candidate anymore," she declared with a sigh.

"Is it Vicky Adler?" he guessed right.

"Yeah, looks like she wants to try something new," she shook her head, not pleased with this turn of events. Victoria Adler was the chief judge of the county, Diane didn't know why she decided to run for a different office, but she'd listen to her announcement as soon as she got back to her campaign headquarters anyhow.

"Didn't her husband just die?" Will reminded Diane of something that might have affected Vicky's decision.

"Yes and she will probably use it to her advantage," she noted, she knew her former friend well after all. If anyone could spin and sell a story to their advantage regardless of the facts, it was Vicky.

"But you have a good campaign strategy and the best campaign manager," he offered, pep talks obviously not being his strong suit.

"Eli sounded concerned too," she pointed out.

"I'm sure you two will figure out how to handle Vicky," he tried to calm her and she appreciated the gesture, but it wasn't too helpful.

"We will do our best," she wanted to sound positive, even though she felt uneasy about this development.

She had never really felt threatened by her other two opponents. Neither of them had been endorsed by Illinois' most prominent voices and their families looked dysfunctional at best in comparison to Diane's. Campbell had three divorces under his belt and a son who had gotten kicked out of Northwestern. Walker couldn't pride himself running on family values either. Just last month, news broke that his daughter had been involved with a married NBA player. Victoria Adler, however, was a different matter. With her squeaky clean reputation and the advantage of being an elected official already, she was a serious challenger.

Having her as an opponent unsettled Diane. They knew each other quite well and their friendship hadn't ended on the best note. And while Diane would have been reluctant to use her knowledge of the other woman against her, she wasn't sure Vicky would show her the same courtesy.

She had a feeling this campaign might turn into more of a challenge than she'd anticipated and not even the thought that she had Eli Gold on her side was able to make her feel better.


End file.
